Automatic coupler centering device



Dec. 2, 1969 v e. w. COPE AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Filed Nov.17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

FIG. 5

FIG. 4

Inventor:

Geoffrey W. Cop e -'FIG. 6

his Attorney Dec. 2, 1969 w CQPE AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICEFiled Nov. 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 15

Inventor:

Geoffrey W. Cop e his Attorney Dec.-2, 1969 GJW. COPE 3,431,491

AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Y Filed Nov. 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet5 FIG. 7

79 FIG. 8 5a 57 m Geoffrey W. Cope -i!i v his Attorney Inventor:

United States Patent 3,481,491 AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICEGeoffrey W. Cope, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to Dresser Industries,Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,188Int. Cl. B61g 1/12, 7/06 US. Cl. 21320 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A centering device for a horizontal swingable couplerincluding centering means projectable into engagement with sides of thecoupler and operating means for causing the centering means to projectinto and retract out of engagement with the coupler for centering thecoupler when uncoupled on the related car, while releasing the coupleron coupling for swinging with a mated coupler.

This invention relates to centering devices for railway car couplers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved device forcentering an uncoupled coupler which will automatically engage andcenter a coupler as it is uncoupled in an uncoupling operation anddisengage the coupler on coupling in a coupling operation, therebypositioning an uncoupled coupler for coupling without imposing anyrestraint on swinging thereof when coupled with a mating coupler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler centering devicewhich will automatically center and hold an uncoupled horizontallyswingable coupler on the car on which it is mounted and also can bedisengaged at will from the coupler for enabling the latter to be swungto an off-center position to suit special coupling conditions.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a centering devicefor a horizontally and vertically swingable coupler which willautomatically engage and center the coupler on uncoupling and disengagethe coupler on coupling without affecting support of the coupler ineither case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupler centeringdevice which will automatically position and hold an uncoupledhorizontally swingable coupler on the longitudinal centerline of the caron which the coupler is mounted but is manually actuatable to disengagethe coupler to permit swinging thereof to an off-center position to suitspecial coupling conditions and, if not manually reset in the interim,will automatically be reset for centering the coupler when lateruncoupled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler centering devicefor automatically engaging and centering an uncoupled coupler, which ismanually operable to disengage the coupler and, if accidentally sooperated, is operable from a remote control station to reengage and holdthe coupler in centered position either for coupling or, if an endcoupler of a train, against swinging.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter inthe detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thecoupler centering device of the present invention installed in a centersill of a railway car, with the pushers of the device in their projectedcentering position and the head of the coupler broken away and its shankshown in section to more clearly illustrate certain of the details ofconstruction;

FIGURE 2 is horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1,except showing the pushers retracted and the coupler at a limit of itshorizontal swing;

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FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scaletaken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE3, taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE3, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE3, taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of an exemplary coupler assembly inwhich the improved centering device is gperated automatically onuncoupling and coupling; an

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the assembly of FIGURE 7showing an alternate form of automatic control valve for the centeringdevice,

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like referencecharacters designate like parts, the improved automatic centering deviceof the present invention, while usable with any horizontally swingablecoupler, is particularly suited for use with a combined mechanical,electric and air coupler which combines automatic mechanical couplingwith automatic coupling of air and electric train lines. As exemplary ofthe latter use, the improved device, designated as 1, has been appliedto a horizontally and vertically swingable coupler 2 of the typeproposed to be used in the so-ealled Northeast Corridon passenger cars.

As illustrated, the proposed coupler 2 has a head 3 of the automatichook type, such as illustrated in Cope Patent No. 3,181,708, issued May4, 1965, and the shank 4 of a standard Type H passenger car coupler andis connected at its butt 5 for relative universal or horizontal andvertical swinging to a center sill 6 by a Type H or other universalconnector 7. The side walls or sides 8 of the center sill 6 flareforwardly to accommodate the range of horizontal swinging of the coupler2 and the shank 4 of the coupler normally rides or slides on a carrierplate 9 of a resilient coupler carrier 10 mounted in the end of the sillbelow the shank. With the carrier plate 9 limited in upward movement bystops 11 fixed to the side walls 8, the carrier 10 normally supports thecouplers head 3 at coupling height, while permitting the coupler inresponse to service forces to swing downwardly against yieldableresistance and upwardly against gravity.

The improved centering device 1 is comprised of a pair of pushers orcentering arms 12 mounted in the center sill 6 at opposite sides of theshank 4 of the coupler 2 for horizontal movement or projection andretraction into and out of engagement with the shanks confronting sides13. Preferably duplicate for interchangeability and laterally andhorizontally aligned, the pushers or pusher members 12 conveniently aremounted on the forwardly flared end portions 14 of the side walls 8 andare oppositely movable horizontally over a range having as its limitsfor each, an inner, projected or extended position in which it engagesthe confronting side of the shank and the latter is substantiallycentered laterally on or on the longitudinal centerline of the car (notshown) on which the coupler is mounted and an outer, retracted orwithdrawn position in which it is either entirely disengaged from thecoupler or engaged thereby only at the corresponding limit of thecouplers lateral or horizontal swing.

While each of the pushers 12 may be powered for projection andretraction by any means suitable for the intended automatic operation,fluid pressure from compressed reservoir air is readily available andcontrollable for powering the movement in one or either direction.Conveniently, each of the pushers 12 is moved in one direction by fluidpressure and in the opposite direction by a spring force, preferablywith the fluid pressure resible for projection and the spring force forretraction, to ensure against restraint by the centering device onswinging of the coupler when coupled in the event of a failure in thecompressed air system.

In the preferred arrangement, each of the pushers or centering arms 12is directly powered or actuated by a fluid cylinder unit 15 and formstherewith one of the pair of preferably duplicate centering units orassemblies 16 of the centering device which coact or cooperate incentering the coupler. Each cylinder unit 15 is a single acting unit ofthe rolling diaphragm or other suitable type and has a plunger or piston17 which is projected or advanced by fiuid pressure, suitably compressedair, and retracted or withdrawn on release of the fluid pressure by areturn spring 18 in its clylinder 19. Disposed and acting horizontally,each cylinder unit 15 conveniently is mounted on the outside of theadjoining or related side wall 8 of the center sill 6 and has itsplunger 17 projecting or extending through that wall into the sill.

Acting laterally on the opposite sides 13 of the shank 4, forwardly ofthe vertical pivot 20 about which the coupler 2 swings horizontally, thepushers 12 may be suitably capped or terminated inner ends of theplungers 17 but preferably are levers or lever arms hinged or pivoted tothe insides of their respective side walls 8, for pivoting, swinging orhinging horizontally about a fixed pivot 21 which is positionedlongitudinally intermediate or between the couplers swinging axis orpivot 20 and the cylinder units 15. Each of the preferred pushers 12 ispivotally connected forwardly of its fixed pivot 21 and toward its frontor free end 22 to the inner end of the adjoining or related plunger 17and desirably acts not only to center the coupler 2 but also as a stopto limit the horizontal swinging of the coupler in its direction. Forthis purpose, each pusher in retracted position lies along and at itsouter end bears outwardly against the inside of the adjoining side wall8 of the center sill 6 and presents to the confronting side 13 of thecoupler an inner intermediate or stop face 23, which, for full bearingor surface contact, preferably is fiat and parallel to that side whencontacted thereby.

So minimizing wear when acting as a stop, the preferred pusher alsominimizes wear when holding the coupler in centered position by havingits inner surface 24 of which the stop face 23 is a part, bevelledforwardly of that face to present for engagement by the confrontingshank side 13 in the pushers centered or projected position, a flatinner centering face 25 angularly related to the stop face 23 anddisposed parallel to and having surface contact with the related side ofthe shank in the couplers centered position. An arcuately convexshoulder 26, on the inner surface 24 between the faces 23 and 25,assures smooth contact between each pusher and its side 13 of the shank4 as one or the other pusher pushes or moves the coupler to centeredposition. To enable its plunger 17 to follow the arcuate movement of therelated pusher 12, each cylinder unit 15 is pivotally mounted forhorizontal pivoting or swinging on a mounting bracket 27 fixed to andoutstanding from the adjoining side wall 8.

In holding a coupler in centered position, both of the centering unitswill be powered by compressed air or other fluid pressure and it iscontemplated that both also be so powered when the coupler is swung tocentered position. However, in such swinging only the pusher 12 of theunit toward which the coupler is initially offset will engage and act onthe coupler until it has substantially reached centered position. Inthat interval the other or opposite pusher will be extended or projectedto its centered position but prevented, suitably by the limit imposed onthe advance stroke of the plunger 17, from projecting further intoengagement with coupler where it would apply a force opposing thecentering action of the first pusher.

In addition to its centering units 16, the improved centering device 1includes an automatic control valve 28 in a supply line 29 from acompressed air reservoir or other suitable fluid pressure source 30 forsupplying air through branch lines 31 to the cylinders 19 of thecylinder units 15 and also preferably has in the supply line beyond theautomatic valve a manual control valve 32 to which the branch lines maybe directly connected. In the intended automatic operation, theautomatic control valve 28 opens automatically when the couple 2 isuncoupled to power the pushes 12 to center the coupler and closesautomatically when the coupler is coupled for enabling the pushers to bedisengaged therefrom and retracted to their stop or inoperativepositions. The intended operation is readily obtainable at appropriatestages of uncoupling and coupling operations, when, as in theillustrated embodiment, the coupler is equipped with electric and aircouplers 33 and 34, respectively, for combining automatic mechanicalcoupling of a pair of cars with automatic coupling of their electric andair train service lines. The uncoupling and coupling of such a couplerrequires a suitable, usually electric or electro-pneumatic, switchingunit or system and it is such a system that is availed of to produce thedesired automatic centering and disengaging actions of the pushers 12.

An exemplary coupler assembly 35 including the centering device 1, thecoupler 2 with electric and air couplers 33 and 34 mounted on its head3, and an electropneumatic switching unit 36 and, except for thecentering device, generally similar to the assembly disclosed inGobrecht Patent No. 3,263,823, issued Aug. 2, 1966, is illustrateddiagramatically in FIGURE 7. The electropneumatic switching unit 36 ofthe assembly 35 has a check valve 37 connected on its inlet side to atrain air line 38 from the reservoir 30 to one of the air couplers 34and on its outlet side to a normally open, manually operated cut-offvalve 39, through which and the check valve 37, air at reservoirpressure is constantly supplied to a double solenoid-actuated pilotvalve 40. In addition to an inlet 41 and atmospheric bleeds 42, thepilot valve 40 has two outlets which are simultaneously opened orclosed, one, an operating air outlet 43 and the other, an actuating airoutlet 44 for supplying respectively operating and actuating air to anormally closed control valve 45 of the differential piston type.

When open, the control valve 45 supplies air through outlet piping 46 tooperate a bellows 47 of the or each electric coupler 33 for projectingits spring-retractable contacts 48 to contact position and actuate twonormally closed, air-actuated cut-off valves, one 49 in the train airline 38 between the reservoir 30 and one of the air couplers 34 and theother 50 in the companion train air line 51 connecting to the other aircoupler, the latter cutoff valve, when not supplied actuating air by thecontrol valve 45, connecting a conventional train control trip 52 to itsair line. The fluid portion of the switching unit 36 is completed by anormally closed, air-balanced valve 53 connected to the outlet side ofthe manual cut-off valve 39 and actuated by a solenoid 54 for supplyingoperating air to an unlocking device 55 by which the hook 56 of thecoupler 2 is unlocked in an uncoupling operation.

Electrically, the exemplary assembly 35 includes normally openuncoupling and coupling spring switches 57 and 58, respectively, eachpreferably having an associated adjustable or variable time delay device59 for delaying opening and connected in series with one of the fixedcontacts 60 of the electric coupler 33. The uncoupling switch 57 also isconnected to the solenoid' 54 of the valve 53 by which the unlockingdevice 55 is operated and to a closing solenoid 61 of the pilot valve 40by which the piston 62 of that valve is shifted to the position shown insolid line, in which the control valve 45 of the switching unit 36 isdisconnected from reservoir air. The coupling switch 58 in turn isconnected to the other or opening solenoid 63 of the pilot valve forshifting the piston 62 to the position shown in dotted line in which thecontrol valve 44 is connected to and the automatic control valve 28disconnected from reservoir air. Another electric component of thepreferred assembly 36 is a microswitch 64 conveniently mounted on theelectric coupled 33 and engaged and closed by a part of a carriage =65mounting the retractable contacts 48 on retraction of the latter, forswitching suitable in-car electric lines 66 connected to the electriccoupler and light or other circuits 67 connected across those lines, tothe cars battery or other individual electric power source 68, so thatthe cars lights or other electric accessories can be operated when it isstanding alone. I

The preferred air-actuated form of the automatic control valve 28 of thecentering device 1 is a normally open valve having a differential piston69 which is advanced to closed position on application of actuating airand returned to and normally held in open position by a return spring70. Constantly supplied air at reservoir pressure by connecting itssupply line 29 to the reservoir 30 either directly or through the trainair line 38 in advance of the cut-off valve 49, the control valve 28 isadapted to connect the fluid cylinder units 15 of the'ipushers 12alternately to reservoir air and exhaust, the former in its openposition and the latter in its closed position through an inbuiltexhaust port 71. Automatic response of the control valve 28 to thecondition of the pilot valve 40 con veniently is obtained by connectinga pilot line 72, through which it receives actuating air, to the outletpiping 46 from the control valve 45. Thus the automatic valve 28 will beopen under force of its return spring 71 when the piston 62 of the pilotvalve is in the uncoupling or centering position shown in solid line andclosed when the piston is in the coupling position shown in dotted line.In turn, the control valve 28 will automatically control the conditionof the pushers 12 by the position of its piston 69, supplying air toproject and hold the pushers in centered position when open and, whenclosed, enabling the return springs 18 in the fluid cylinder units 15 toretract and hold the pushers in retracted or stop position.

The position of the pilot valve piston 62 being determined by which ofits solenoids 61 and '63 was last energized and the solenoid 63responsible for shifting it to uncoupling position being in the circuitof the uncoupling switch 57, closing of that switch in an uncouplingoperation not only will operate the uncoupling device 55 andmechanically unlock the coupler 2 but, by shifting the piston 62 touncoupling position also will retract the retractable contacts 48, closethe air lines 38 and 51 to the air couplers 34 and open the controlvalve 28 so that the pushers 12 will be projected to center the coupler.These several actions should be produced in a particular sequence forproper uncoupling, first the retraction of the retractable contacts 48and shutting off of the train air lines 38 and 51, then, the mechanicalunlocking of the coupler by operation of the unlocking device 55 andfinally, the projection of the pushers 12 to center the coupler. This orany other desired sequence is readily obtained by using suitablevariable or adjustable timers or time delay devices, electrically orpneumatically responsive, as appropriate, by presetting of which theapplication of the actuating electricity or air to the associated valvecan be delayed for the desired predetermined interval after closing ofthe uncoupling switch. These timers are designated as 73 for the controlvalve 28, 74 for the valve 53, and 75 for the pilot valve 40, the lastvalve having two, one for each solenoid, for delaying both opening andclosing, as desired.

In a coupling operation, the coupling switch 58 is closed after thecoupler 2 is mechanically coupled to a mating coupler. As preferred, thecoupling switch can be closed manually or automatically or both,manually by an operator by locating it at a convenient station andautomatically by mounting the same or a duplicate, parallelconnectedswitch on the head 3 of the coupler 2 for closing by its own or themating coupler. In either case, closing of the switch, by energizing thesolenoid 61 and shifting the pilot valve piston 62 to coupling position,will apply both operating and actuating air to the control valve 45 ofthe switching unit 36 causing that valve to open and supply air to closethe valve 28 for retracting the pushers 12 out of engagement with thecoupler, open the valves 49 and 50 for opening the train air lines 38and 51, and expand the bellows 47 for advancing the retractable contacts48 to contact position.

In the alternate form shown in FIGURE 8, the control valve 28 for thecentering device 1 is a double solenoidactuated valve. In this form, thedifferential piston 69 and pilot line 72 of the air-actuated form isreplaced by a valve member 76 having a solenoid at each end, one, 77 foropening and the other, 78 for closing the valve, thus avoiding the need,if only a single solenoid were used, of holding the solenoid energizedover the considerable interval in which a particular car may be coupledor uncoupled. In applying this form to the electro-pneumatic switchingunit 36, the opening solenoid 73 and closing solenoid 74 are connectedin the circuits of the uncoupling switch 57 and coupling switch 58,respectively. As in the air-actuated form, opening of the valve 28preferably is delayed relative to mechanical unlocking of the coupler,conveniently by connecting a suitable time delay 79 to the openingsolenoid 77.

While centering of the coupler 2 on the car under control of theautomatic valve 28 ordinarily will position the coupler for coupling,there will be times when it will not do so, as when attempting toperform a coupling operation on a reverse curve or tangent to a curve.In such case it is necessary that the coupler be swung off-center and itis then that the manual control valve 32 in the supply line 29 beweenthe control valve 28 and the branch lines 31 comes into play. Itspurpose is to enable the operating air charging the fluid cylinder units15 to be exhausted therefrom without disturbing the setting of theautomatic valve. This purpose it serves by having a two-position slideor piston 80 which connects the branch lines 31 in one position to thesupply line 29 from the automatic control valve 28 and in the otherposition to an exhaust port 81.

Itself enclosed, the slide 80 has a knob or handle 82 projecting fromone end for enabling it to be shifted manually to either position. Movedto exhaust position when the knob 82 is pulled, the slide 80 of theillustrated manual operating or exhaust valve is shiftable back to airsupplying or centering position either manually or by energizing of asolenoid 83, mechanically connected to the slides other end. Thesolenoid 83 is connected in the circuit of the coupling switch 58 andenergized when that switch is closed in a coupling operation. Thus, ifnot previously manually reset, the manual valve 32 will be auto-'matically reset in the succeeding coupling operation for enabling thepushers 12 to perform their centering function under control of theautomatic valve 28 when the coupler is later uncoupled. The solenoid 83also is connected in parallel to the coupling switch 58, in a loopcircuit 84 in the car connecting to the lines 66. Normally open, theloop circuit 84 is closable by a spring switch 85 which may be eitherdiscreet to the solenoid or that of a momentarily operated accessory,such as a buzzer. This switch will find use when the coupler is at theend of a train and the manual valve 32 has somehow been shifted toexhaust position, for resetting the manual valve to restore pressure tothe fluid cylinder units 15 and enable the centering device to hold thecoupler in centered position against swinging in transit.

From the above detailed description it will be apparcut that there hasbeen provided an improved device for centering an uncoupled couplerwhich not only releases the coupler when coupled but also can be made torelease an uncoupled coupler for coupling under special track conditionswithout adverse effect upon its centering action when the coupler iseither next uncoupled or an end coupler of a train. It should beunderstood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merelyexemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to beincluded that do not depart from the spirit of the invention and thescope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A centering device for a horizontally swingable rail- Way car couplercomprising centering means mounted against vertical movement at oppositesides of said coupler and alternately horizontally projectable into andretractable out of engagement with said sides for respectively centeringsaid coupler on a car and freeing said coupler for horizontal swinging,and operating means operatively connected to said coupler and centeringmeans for causing said centering means automatically to project into andretract out of engagement with said sides of said coupler respectivelyon uncoupling and coupling thereof.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the centering means includelever arms hinged to opposite sides of a center sill of the car andfluid cylinder means for projecting and retracting said arms, and saidarms in retracted position are backed by said sill sides and presentinner stop faces to the sides of the coupler for limiting the horizontalswinging thereof.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the lever arms have innercentering faces angularly related to the stop faces for surface contactwith the sides of the coupler in the centered position thereof.

4. A centering device for a horizontally swingable combined mechanical,electrical and air coupler for a railway car, comprising centering meansalternately projectable into and retractable out of engagement withopposite sides of said coupler for respectively centering said coupleron said car and freeing said coupler for horizontal swinging, andoperating means operatively connected to said coupler and centeringmeans for causing said centering means automatically to project into andretract out of engagement with said coupler respectively on uncouplingand coupling thereof.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the coupler is controlled inuncoupling and coupling by switching means, and the operating meansincludes means automatically responsive to said switching means forcontrolling operation of said centering means.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the centering means are poweredto engage and center the coupler by fluid pressure.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means areactuated by fluid pressure.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means areelectrically actuated.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means is anautomatic valve in a line for supplying fluid pressure to the centeringmeans, and the operating means includes a manually operable valve insaid linebetween said automatic valve and centering means foralternately connecting said centering means to said automatic valve andexhaust.

10. A device according to claim 9 including electrically actuated meansconnected to said manual valve and a coupling circuit of said switchingmeans and operable in a coupling operation for automatically settingsaid manual valve to connect said centering means to said automaticvalve whenever said manual valve at the start of said operation is setto connect said centering means to exhaust.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the electrically actuatedmeans is electrically connected in parallel to the coupling cicuit to anormally open loop circuit for enabling closing of said circuit, whenthe coupler is an end coupler of a train and the manual valve has beenmanually set to connect the centering means to exhaust, to set themanual valve to connect the centering means to the automatic valve andthereby cause the centering means to center and hold the coupler againsthorizontal swinging in centered position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,948 5/1926 Tomlinson213--2l 1,609,445 12/1926 Tomlinson 21321 3,100,050 8/1963 De Penti eta1 213 21 3,108,697 10/1963 Metzger 213-21 3,189,190 6/1965 Herbert213-21 3,258,131 6/1966 Manyek 213-19 3,371,802 3/1968 Dungan 213-2ODRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2l319

